Kingdom Hearts: Reborne
by BlewItUp
Summary: It's been three years since Kingdom Hearts II. Three years since Sora used the Keyblade, three years for Sora and Kairi to start dating. But what happens when Darkness stirs? And Sora is unable to help. Who is the strange girl Riku finds? Is she connected
1. Prolouge

So here's my new story. I'm semi-permantely discontinuing Organization That Never Was, sorry about that. But here's the new story, and I'm hoping it will be way better.

Here's the full summary:

It's been three years since the events in Kingdom Hearts II. Three years since Sora has used the Keyblade. Sora and Kairi are both 18, and have been dating for those three years. Meanwhile, Riku has been pushed away. Will Riku warn his friends when he realizes things aren't as final as they seem? Would Sora even listen? What will happen when dark chaos is unleashed, and Sora is powerless to stop it? And who is the mysterious girl who shows up, right before everything falls apart?

Yeah... I'm kind of bad at summaries, sorry.

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><p>Prologue<p>

In the beginning, there were seven entities. They were Light, Darkness, Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, and The Unknown. The entities were powerful, and controlled the very universe in which they lived. After a while, the entities became tired of ruling stars and space, so they worked together to create many worlds. Each entity was given several worlds to rule and nurture. Earth made land animals, and spread them throughout his worlds. Water made seas in his worlds, and filled them with creatures of the deep. Wind created creatures of flight, and released them into the skies of his worlds. Fire created creatures of immense strength and power, creatures of myths and legends, the greatest of which were the dragons. Fire populated his worlds with these fantastical creations. Darkness created insects, bugs and creepy crawlers of all sorts, which he spread across his worlds in fiendish delight. The Unknown created magic; she spread her magic throughout her worlds, and as a result created many strange and wonderful creatures. And last, but not least, was Light's creations. Light created humans, humans of different colors, languages, and traditions. He filled his worlds with his most perfect creation, and watched as they cultivated his worlds and grew.

Each entity was more than proud of their creations. But as they looked around, and saw the others' creations, they became jealous. All except Light and The Unknown were soon trying to rob the others of their masterpieces. The Unknown made a proposal, that they all share, and make the worlds alike. Light took this proposal and made in a reality, by sharing his humans with the other entities who also shared their creations. Light and The Unknown were the first to share. Earth was soon to follow, as well as Water and Wind. Darkness begrudgingly gave up his creepy crawlers, in return for the works of others. Fire fought, he did not wish to share his greatest creations, so he struck a deal with the other entities. He would share a few of his creatures of power, and he would provide every world with the power of fire. No one wished to accept, until Fire explained that by giving the worlds his power, they would have the capacity to create heat, and cook foods. And in time, develop the capacity to create technologies that would be otherwise impossible without the power to control intense heat. Which could be best accomplished with Fire. Seeing the wisdom in Fire's offer, The Unknown accepted, and her worlds began to flourish as none of the others could. Jealous, the rest of the entities soon accepted Fire's offer in the hopes to surpass The Unknown.

All the worlds flourished, except Darkness's. Darkness was constantly wreaking havoc on his worlds. He set his worlds at war against themselves; he created natural disasters, and otherwise destroyed his worlds. When Darkness saw how well the other entities worlds were doing, he was furious. Darkness created chaos, and unleashed it upon all the worlds aside from his own. The worlds were practically destroyed by the time the entities realized what was happening. All except for The Unknowns'. Her strong magic had protected her worlds from much harm. The entities of Light, Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water sought out Darkness to destroy him. Darkness was sickly amused by his brother's hatred towards him. He ran, and unleashed more chaos upon the worlds.

After much struggle, Light, Fire, Wind, Water, and Earth were able to trap Darkness. However, they could not destroy him, as he was an entity, and to destroy an entity would be to destroy part of the universe itself. The entities went to The Unknown for help. She begrudgingly saved their worlds, despite the fact that she believed it was their faults for not tending to their worlds enough. The entities pleaded for her to help them stop Darkness. She relented, after much convincing, only because she was tired of having to deter the waves of chaos from her worlds.

The Unknown left to find a way to stop Darkness's tirade. She finally formulated a plan and prepared to put it into action. The Unknown created a weapon. A weapon of great power that could be used to accomplish impossible deeds. This weapon was created from part of herself, so it was alive just as she was. The Unknown gave the weapon to Light, and he used it to lock pieces of darkness into every world. Together, Light and the other six entities shattered Darkness's heart. It burst into millions of pieces, which they scattered throughout the universe and the worlds, in the hopes that Darkness would never re-form. Light returned the weapon to The Unknown, who hid it in one of her worlds. The Unknown was also given Darkness's old worlds, as she was essentially the one who stopped him.

Time passed, and The Unknown began to realize that her weapon, her greatest creation, was not as it should be. She retrieved it from its hiding place and examined it. She was shocked and infuriated to find that Light had meddled with her creation. She confronted Light, and he told her that he had bestowed the weapon with the power to choose a human wielder of both strong heart and mind. Even though The Unknown saw the wisdom in this, she was infuriated that Light would meddle with her masterpiece, without even consulting her. She went to her worlds, and caught pieces of Darkness's heart, the purest forms of evil she could find. From these pieces of heart The Unknown created sentient beings, which she named the Heartless. She secretly released them into all the worlds, to torment the humans. The heartless sought out the pieces of Darkness that had settled into humans' hearts, and stole it. The person whose heart had been infected with Darkness became a Heartless themselves, and sought out more Darkness. The Unknown watched with satisfaction as Light struggled to purify his humans, oblivious to the fact that it was her who had released the Heartless among them.

Light tried in vain to save his humans from Darkness and the Heartless. But the humans did not want to change. They became more and more tainted, and Light realized that his attempts were hopeless. Light decided to cleanse one of his worlds completely. He populated this world with new humans, and he hid this world from the rest, in hopes that it would remain untainted. To the old worlds Light gave the humans a chance for redemption.

Any human which became a Heartless, that had possessed a strong heart, also became a Nobody. The person's soul went into the Nobody at a different location than the Heartless. The stronger the person's mind, the more powerful the Nobody.

If the Heartless was destroyed, and a Nobody had been created as well, the person was reincarnated. However, until the soul was freed from the Nobody, the new person would never be complete. On the rare occasion that the Nobody and Heartless were both destroyed by the blade created by The Unknown, they would become a person again, and possess all their memories of their past life, and would hopefully be a better person.

Light was devastated that he could not do more to help his lost worlds, or those of his brothers. He went into a deep depression and cultivated his cleansed world in secret.

Though Darkness was in many pieces, he was still powerful. Every piece of himself created shadows in the worlds. He was able to possess some humans, and he whispered dark thoughts into their minds, thus becoming evil.

The largest, and most powerful, part of Darkness had been locked into a prison of light, in a void between worlds. It was from that prison that Darkness created Purebloods. Darkness had seen the Heartless, and he knew that without his heart, he could never re-form. So he sent the Pureblood Heartless to retrieve pieces of his heart. Darkness also realized that he needed the pieces of himself, the shadows in every world. Darkness saw the potential in the weapon that The Unknown had created, and he attempted to make more. They were merely copies, and could never hold the power of the one true blade, but Darkness made due. He scattered his weapons into the worlds, and called them Keyblades. Keys to unlock himself from the worlds, from the prison his siblings had locked him into. But Darkness soon found that only the true blade, the one created by The Unknown could unlock the worlds. Furious Darkness left his plan, and started to craft another. He did not know that each of the Keyblades he had made had its own unique, dark power.

Darkness looked towards the worlds, searching for a way to free himself and exact his revenge. He found that chance in the young mind of a man named Xehanort. Xehanort was the apprentice of a man named Ansem, who was researching the Heartless. Darkness whispered his plan into Xehanorts heart and mind. Xehanort rebelled against Ansem, and stole the research. Ansem became deeply depressed, and seemed to vanish from the universe. Darkness assumed his heart had been consumed by the Heartless. Before Xehanort could further Darkness's plan, he was destroyed by a Heartless.

Darkness was infuriated, and scattered the research, and all the reports Ansem and Xehanort had drawn. Soon, Darkness felt a strange surge of power, and was please to discover that Xehanort had become a Heartless, and a Nobody. Xehanorts' heartless took the name of Ansem and began to seek out a vessel. His Nobody became known as Xemnas.

Darkness left Ansem alone for the time being, as the Heartless was unable to occupy space where there was Light without a vessel. Darkness focused his attention on Xemnas. Darkness planted an idea into Xemnas's mind. A horrible, wonderful idea. Xemnas quickly began to carry out the plan, gathering the most powerful Nobodies into Darkness's castle in The World That Never Was. Darkness had reluctantly relinquished the location of his fortress, as it was the only place where Light and the other entities could never reach. The Nobodies banded together and gave themselves the name of Organization XIII. They began working to restore Darkness's heart. Darkness had given them false promises, saying that if they restored 'Kingdom Hearts' then they would have hearts again. The story was of course, nonsense. But Xemnas was lured in by the idea of having a heart again.

Elsewhere, Darkness watched Ansem. Darkness's Keys had started to wreak havoc, combined with Darkness's attempt's to escape, the world's had become unstable. The other entities were confounded as to why their worlds were combusting, but they could not pinpoint the source. Darkness quietly sat in his prison and watched with perverse glee.

Ansem soon found a vessel in a boy named Riku. This boy lived on one of the worlds that had recently been destroyed, and was an easy target.

Darkness's plan was falling into place perfectly.

Ansem began searching the worlds for pieces of Darkness and securing them. With every piece of Darkness he obtained, his power grew, vanquishing the boy Riku's last protests.

But everything was not as perfect as it seemed. Darkness detected the presence of a powerful weapon. The weapon.

The wielder was a simple adolescent boy named Sora. Infuriated, and sensing an end to his perfectly layed plan, Darkness sent Ansem after the boy. Riku fought, and by the time Ansem had complete control, Sora had locked many of the worlds, locking Darkness into the worlds.

When Ansem finally caught up to the boy, Darkness was infuriated. He lent what power he had to Ansem, in the hopes that he would vanquish Sora once and for all. But Riku had not been tamed as well as Darkness and Ansem thought. Riku was surprisingly strong, and allowed Sora to defeat him, rather, Ansem.

The boy came to Darkness's prison of Light, and locked the doors with the true Keyblade. Darkness became mad with rage, and turned his attention and effort to Xemnas and Organization XIII. Darkness was surprised to find Sora's Nobody in the Organization. Darkness had Xemnas send the boy out to capture pieces of his heart, and put them into Kingdom Hearts. But then the Nobody Roxas escaped.

Darkness was irritated by this, but he was close to his goal of completing Kingdom Hearts, HIS heart. He vaguely noticed that the worlds were being unlocked. That his body, his form, was slowly re-forming.

Kingdom Hearts was practically complete, when the boy, Sora, found his way into Darkness's realm. Darkness was aghast to find Riku with the boy. Even more so when the rag-tag group destroyed Kingdom Hearts.

Darkness tried to trap Riku and Sora in a world between worlds, but their unique magic freed them.

What had taken eons to form, was destroyed in two years by a child and his rag-tag group of friends. Darkness was boiling with hate. He desperately searched for a new means of escaping. Searching, and searching.

Darkness accidentally stumbled across the boys' island. Riku and Sora had been found. Darkness watched them maliciously, waiting for the opportune moment. He would exact his revenge. Slowly and painfully, taking everything from the foolish children that had stolen his glory. He only needed one thing. And Darkness soon realized, he already had it.

The doors have been opened.

The world unlocked.

Hearts plagued.

The Key is gone.

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><p>So what did you think? This is of course, only the prolouge. I'll try to get the first chapter up ASAP.<p>

Read and Review please!


	2. One

****_Hey everyone, sorry I'm taking forever to update. Busy busy busy. So this is the first actual chapter of my new story. Sorry if the parts with Riku are weird, I don't normally write in third person._

_I do not own any of the characters, places, or elements of Kingdom Hearts. But I do own Rae, and this idea is original, and my own. _

_Thank you for giving my story a chance!_

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><p><em><strong>One<strong>_

Riku groggily opens his eyes. He is lying on his back, and he found himself gazing up into an endless expanse of diamonds. Riku sits up, stretching his arms over his head. He was on the island, sleeping near the paopu tree.

Riku scratches his neck drowsily. For the past year, he'd found himself unable to sleep at home. The only place he could find peace was at the island.

Riku stands and turns east. The sun is on the very edge of the horizon, slowly clawing its way into the sky.

Riku sighs and walks across the small bridge. He opens the door to the shack and walks downstairs. He grabs his bag from the floor of the shack and, pulling out an apple, goes out the door and walks towards the docks.

Riku walks to his boat and tosses his almost-empty bag into his boat. Finishing his apple, Riku inspects his boat. It was a small boat, but it was sturdy, and served his purposes fine. Riku finishes his apple and tosses it towards the island before climbing into his one-man boat. He grabs the oars and begins his slow ride back to the mainland to continue his facade.

I roll out of bed, yawning, and stumble into the shower. I'd had to work late the previous night at the theatre, and was completely exhausted.

I finish my shower and get dressed, still longing for the steaming water. Lately it seemed I never had time to take a break, and that if only I could stay in the shower a bit longer, maybe the hot water would loosen my ever-tense muscles. But it was never to be. I banish these foolish wishes from my mind and pull my hair into a high-ponytail before staring into the mirror at my reflection. My eyes were hollow from exhaustion, and smudgy bruises happily sat under my dark violet eyes. The silver specks that sometimes showed in my eyes had not made their appearance in weeks, due to extreme fatigue. My long black hair was lacking luster, and its usual curl. I stare at my reflection sadly, before glancing at the clock. It was time to start another long day.

I leave the bathroom and, grabbing my purse from my room, head towards the front door to the apartment. Passing my roommates room, I push the slightly ajar door open and glance in. My foolish roommate, Sophia, was sprawled across some random guy, both of them stark naked, and dead asleep.

I look away, disgusted, and pull the door shut. Sophia was a spoilt brat with as much of Daddy's money as she wanted, to spend however she wished. I banished these thought from my head. She wasn't completely bad. She had a bubbly, energetic personality, and things were never boring with her around. She was an extreme romanticist, but unfortunately, she never stuck with one guy long enough to get to know them. She didn't even stick with one guy at a time. One day her irresponsible lifestyle was going to bite her in the butt. But until then, she had been paying half of the rent, and without her, /I wouldn't be able to stay in the apartment.

I flick the lights off and walk out of the apartment, locking the door behind me. I check the clock on the wall in the hallway. 4:00a.m.

'Shoot' I thought, jogging down the stairs. If I didn't hurry I was going to be late to my second job at the Coffee Shop. I jogged out of the apartment complex and, looking both ways, began jogging to my job.

When Riku paddles back to the island, after stopping at his house to shower, change clothes, and grab some food, Riku notices that only Sora's boat is at the dock. Riku climbs out of his boat and ties it to the dock before glancing around looking for Kairi's boat.

'_It's not here'_ He thinks to himself. '_Maybe she stayed at home today'_

Excited, Riku runs through the shack on the beach, across the bridges to the paopu tree. Only to stop short upon finding Sora and Kairi entangled beneath the tree.

Riku bites his lip in frustration and waits for them to notice him. Sora nibbles on Kairi's neck, and she throws her head back in pleasure. Sora starts pulling Kairi's dress down.

Riku clears his throat.

Kairi jumps, and stares at Riku, eyes unfocused. Sora groans softly and detaches himself from Kari.

Sora sits up and looks at Riku, while Kairi continues to stare at Riku, dazed.

"Oh, hey buddy. What's up?" Sora asks, scratching the back of his neck casually.

Kairi blinks, and upon realizing she is flashing Riku, struggles to pull her dress up and cover herself.

"Nothing much." Riku says, forcing his fury down. "Where's Kairi's boat?"

Sora stretches and yawns. "Oh, her mom said she needed to stay home and do homework," Sora says, before standing and walking to the base of the paopu tree and leaning against it.

Kairi snickers, and having fixed her dress, turns her gaze to Riku. "Apparently she doesn't approve of my grades."

'_Which are only so low because you spend every free moment exploring Sora's mouth_,' Riku thinks with distaste.

"Anyway, she came to me because her mom locked her boat up, and I brought her over here on my boat," Sora says, giving Riku a wide grin.

Kairi stands and straightens her dress before moving and sitting next to Sora.

"Don't you guys think you should go to school?" Riku asks irritably. "Graduation is only a few months away."

Sora shrugs, wrapping his arm around Kairi's slim shoulders, "So?"

Riku sighs, "When was the last time you went to school?"

Sora looks at Kairi who frowns and shrugs.

"I dunno, few months ago. Why?" Sora says nonchalantly, turning his gaze back to Riku.

Riku rolls his eyes, "You guys are never going to graduate."

"Then we'll drop out," Kairi trills, grabbing Sora's hand over her shoulder and entwining her fingers with his.

"And we'll buy a house, and move into it, and get married, and live together forever," Sora smiles, gazing down into Kairi's eyes.

Riku grinds his teeth, scowling, before turning and storming away.

Things had been like this ever since Sora and Kairi announced their undying love to each other and, finding their feelings were mutual, started dating. They had been dating ever since… that. Riku shudders, remembering how helpless he had been to the demands of Ansem's Heartless, how completely powerless he had been, like a puppet, being controlled by someone else. Riku shakes his head, purging the horrid memories before they could go further.

Since then, Sora and Kairi had always been together, they were inseparable. Leaving Riku all alone.

Sure, they said they cared, tried to involve Riku, but when they started exploring each other's tonsils, Riku could tell he was unwanted.

Riku walks along the beach, kicking the sand as he heads to the tree he and Sora used to race to.

Riku knew things would never be the same. Too much had changed, Riku had changed too much.

But was it too much to ask for his best friend back?

"Thank you, come again!" I say, handing the customer their chai latte. I keep a big grin as they smile at me and drop their change in the donation jar for a local family whose house had burnt down. I thank the customer again and continue grinning until they leave the shop.

I sigh tiredly and turn to wipe off the counter. I shake loose coffee ground that had stuck on the rag into the trash and start wiping the counter again.

I hear the bell above the door jingle, signaling a customer. I shake the rag out again and set it next to the cappuccino machine and turn around to greet the customer, plastering a fake grin on my face

"Hi! Welcome to the Coffee-" I'm shocked into silence when I see who is standing at the counter, red-faced and eyes blazing with fury. It was Sophia. A barely dressed, eyes-red-from-crying, angry Sophia.

"Sophia, what are you doin-" I start to ask. Sophia was never up before noon, and she never left the house without getting dressed and putting on make-up. Her theory was that she had to look the best, no matter what, because it was our job as women to give the men something beautiful to look at.

"Don't Sophia me!" she screeches.

"What? What's wro-?"

"I just woke up! You know what woke me up?" she cries.

'_Morning sickness_' I think. But I asked, "What woke you?"

"Jake threw my phone at me and told me he was breaking up with me!" She screams at me, her face turning red, eyes filling with tears.

"Why would he do that?" I ask softly.

"Because I got a text from Donny, saying HE was breaking up with me" She screeches, shoving her phone in my face.

I blink at the phone, unable to decipher the text from so close. I look back to Sophia.

"I'm sorry?" I say cautiously.

"Sorry? Sorry! You'd better be a whole lot more than sorry! You told him! Didn't you? Didn't you!" Sophia screeches in my face.

I hold my hands up defensively. "Sophia, I didn't even talk to him."

"Well then how did he know about Kyle? Or Ryan?" She screams, spitting in my face.

"I don't know," I say, trying to remain calm as I wiped her saliva off my face. Her breath reeks of alcohol.

"He told me someone tipped him off here at this coffee shop!" Sophia screams. "Why would you do such a thing Rae? Why? I loved him!"

'_Like you love every other man in the world_,' I think, but restrain from saying it.

Sophia glares at me as I try to think of what to say to calm her down. Unable to think of anything I shrug in defeat.

"That's it? You won't even defend yourself" Sophia cries. "Fine! I'm leaving. You can pay the rent yourself Ms. High and Mighty! I only stayed in that dinky apartment because I pitied you!" Sophia storms out of the shop, before stomping back angrily.

"I hope you're happy Rae," she murmurs, eyes filling with tears. "You ruined my last chance at true love." She furiously swipes at the change jar next to the cash register, knocking it off the counter.

The jar falls to the ground and shatters, scattering change everywhere. I stare at the broken jar in shock, before turning my stunned gaze to Sophia.

A look of regret crosses her face and she steps forward, reaching out her hand, before shaking her head and turning to stomp out of the shop.

"What was that?" I turn to see Mr. Smith storm out of his office, neck bulging angrily.

"Oh! I'm sorry sir1 I'll clean it up right away!" I cry, leaping up and dashing around the counter and falling to my knees to start picking up the mess.

"You'd better. And don't let it happen again, or your sorry ass is fired." Mr. Smith growls, storming back into his office.

I bite back a tear and pick up a piece of the broken glass. I stare into the glass forlornly. What was I going to do now? There was no way I could afford to keep the apartment alone, and there was no time to get a new roommate. There were no other cheap apartments within walking, or jogging distance of either of my jobs. I couldn't get an apartment further away because I didn't have a car.

I blink as my tears threaten to spill over, but they plop out and fall onto the glass and change on the floor, creating little mirrors. I stare into the piece of glass in my hand, but it offers no answers. I blink back more tears and continue picking up the pieces.

Riku stares out at the afternoon sky. From his perch above the beach, he could see Sora and Kairi under the paopu tree, still making out. He supposed he should be happy that they only made out, and hadn't committed the act yet, but it still meant that Riku was by himself ninety percent of the time.

Riku leans against the cool cliff wall and stares down at the waterfall. The afternoon sun reached through the mist and splayed rainbows across the pool.

Riku sighs and continues staring at the waterfall. He had hoped to practice sword fighting with Sora today, but Sora had been…preoccupied all day.

Riku turns his gaze back to the sky. The sun was getting to be pretty low. He looks towards the paopu tree just in time to see Sora and Kairi start walking away from it. Riku watches as Kairi straightens her dress and Sora pats his hair into place. As if anyone would notice if his hair was messed up. Sora and Kairi walk down to the docks. Sora unties his boat and climbs in, before waiting for Kairi to climb onto his lap. She does, and they push away from the dock and start paddling towards the mainland.

They'd never even noticed Riku's absence.

Riku stands and climbs down to the shack on the beach. Once there, Riku opens the door and goes in the shack.

The shack was dark as the last rays of daylight made their way through the cracks between the boards making up the wall. Riku walks straight to the stairs and walks up them, and heads outside. He crosses the bridge and walks to the paopu tree.

Riku climbs onto the tree and walks along the trunk as far as possible, and sits down. Sighing he closes his eyes, as a memory surfaces. A memory from right before it all began that horrible night three years ago.

"_**So, Kairi's home is out there somewhere, right?" Sora asks; sitting near the leaves of the paopu tree, leaning forward on his hands placed on the tree trunk between his legs. **_

_** "Could be," Riku responds, leaning against the trunk of the paopu tree, arms crossed in front of his chest. "We'll never know by staying here.**_

_** Sora leans forward to look over Kairi to Riku. "Bur how far could a raft take us?"**_

_** Riku waves his hand dismissively, "Who knows? If we have to we'll think of something else."**_

_** Sora leans back and resumes watching the sunset, reassured.**_

_** Kairi leans forward and grins impishly. "So, suppose you get to another world," she says, giggling. "What would you do there?"**_

_** Riku re-crosses his arms and looks to the ground, pondering Kairi's question. "Well, I haven't really thought about it." Riku's gaze travels up and he stares out to the ocean. "It's just… I've always wondered why we're here on this island. If there are any other worlds out there, why did we end up on this one? And suppose there are other worlds… Then ours is just a little piece of something much greater. So we could have just as easily ended up somewhere else," Riku looks at Kairi triumphantly. "Right?"**_

_** Sora flings his left leg over the tree trunk and leans against the tree, crossing his hands behind his head casually, and looks up at the sky. "I don't know."**_

_** Riku uncrosses his arms and looks towards the ocean. "Exactly. That's why we need to go out there and find out," Riku straightens from leaning against tree and steps forward. "Just sitting here won't change a thing."**_

_** Kairi rolls her eyes and sighs softly while Sora turns his head and looks to the ocean as well.**_

_** "It's the same old stuff," Riku continues. "So let's go."**_

_** Kairi looks at Riku, who by this point is a few paces away from the paopu tree. "You've been thinking a lot lately, haven't you?"**_

_** Riku turns around and looks at Kairi. "Thanks to you."**_

_** Sora glances down to Riku and Kairi, before looking back out to the ocean.**_

_** "If you hadn't come here, I probably would've never thought of any of this. Kairi, thanks." Riku says.**_

_** Kairi turns her gaze to the sea and giggles nervously. "You're welcome."**_

Riku sighs opening his eyes. That was when the problems had all started; with the three of them and their cursed curiosity. Riku turns his gaze from the ocean angrily, and looks at the bride behind the paopu tree, remembering what had happened later, once the three of them had left the tree.

_** Sora is crossing the bridge from the paopu tree when Riku hollers from behind him.**_

_** "Sora!"**_

_** Sora turns and hastily catches the object Riku has tossed to him, before staring at it, uncomprehendingly.**_

_** Riku stops a couple of paces away from Sora and points to the object in Sora's hands. "You wanted one, didn't you?"**_

_** Sora stares at the fruit in his hands questioningly, "A paopu fruit…"**_

_** Riku lowers his arms and casually starts to walk forward. "If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined," Riku passes Sora. "They'll remain a part of each other's lives no matter what.**_

_** Sora stares at the fruit before glancing up to Riku.**_

_** Riku stops and turns to Sora and waves his hand dismissively, "C'mon, I know you want to try it."**_

_** Sora glances back down to the fruit before looking back to Riku, then back to the fruit. "What are you talking - - -" Sora pauses before reluctantly tossing the fruit into the ocean.**_

_** Riku laughs, turning and running away.**_

_** Sora runs after him. They race through the beach shack, and run down the beach, racing past a startled Kairi.**_

Riku sighs longingly. Why couldn't things be that way again? Simple, fun, careless. Why could things never go back to the way they were before?

Riku looks back to the ocean longingly, and watches the sun set over the crystal blue water.

Once the sun had long since set, Riku stands and begrudgingly walks back along the trunk of the paopu tree. When Riku reaches the trunk, he pauses and glances up at the stars. After a long, silent moment, Riku looks to the ground in front of him to climb off the tree.

Suddenly everything turns black. Blacker than the darkness that had consumed him three years ago. Riku blinks furiously, panic rising in his chest as he tries to clear his vision. When color returned to the world, it was twisted and warped. Riku reaches out, seeking something to grab for support, but there was nothing, as he still stood on the paopu tree, and was alone.

Riku bites down his panic and steps forward blindly seeking solid ground.

A horrible burning pressure rips out from Riku's chest and he cries out in surprise, and stumbles forward. His foot misses its intended destination, and Riku falls to the hard ground, where he immediately curls into a ball as the pain continues to rip through his heart.

Riku's vision swirls and flickers as the pressure in his chest constricts tighter and tighter. Riku tries to breathe normally and presses a clenched fist to his chest, directly above his heart. He felt as if a huge force had been trapped inside of him, and was now trying to escape.

The pressure rips down to his stomach, and up to his head, as Riku closes his eyes and tries to breathe. The pain prevented him from getting anything but short, shallow breaths.

Riku gasps as the pain intensifies, and travels even further through his body.

The world flickers as Riku attempts to fight the pain, to push it back. But whatever was happening would not stop, would not slow. All Riku could do was retreat into himself and hope for the end. Whatever that may be.

A shiver runs down my spine as I step out of the air-conditioned theater into the humid air outside.

I had yet to come up with a solution about what to do with the apartment. I could not afford to pay the rent on my own, that much was obvious. But what could I do instead?

I ponder my dilemma as I walk along the dark streets, on my way home. Well, home for at least another couple of weeks, until the rent was due.

Shadows creep into the street and force themselves into my path, inviting me into the darkness.

One in the morning was not an inviting hour for people. I continue along the road, ignoring the shortcuts the shadows offered. I still searched for a solution to my problem.

It was only when I gave up on finding a solution, at least until I could get to sleep, that I heard the footsteps. It was one in the morning, what kind of people would be up at one in the morning? Well… Apart from me that is. My instinct told me that no one with good intentions would be up at this hour. Especially since the person who produced the footsteps didn't want me to know they were there, as the footsteps stopped when I stopped, and continued when I walked. I glance over my shoulder, to see nothing. Yet the footsteps were still there. I glance the other way, and my heart leaps to my throat. Not fifty feet behind me, hugging the shadows on the side of the road, was a man. He wore a black trench coat, and a dark fedora, tilted down to hide his face.

I gulp and start practically jogging down the road. Stories of kidnappings, and horrible rapes and murders began to flash through my mind. However, when I glanced back again, the man was even closer than before, and didn't seem the least bit exerted.

I swallow past the lump in my throat and try to slow my racing pulse. There was no one besides the two of us, anywhere for miles. We were alone. If he attacked, no one would hear me scream. Newspaper headlines flash through my head, about the finding of my dead, mutilated corpse. Or even worse, my mysterious disappearance.

The shadows reach out further, inviting me in. I glance over my shoulder to see the man not twenty feet away. I look out into the shadows and spot an old abandoned barn. I glance over my shoulder again and swallow nervously, feeling sick from my racing pulse. He was getting closer. I veer off the road and sprint towards the barn.

The man cries out in surprise, before he starts pounding after me. I ignore the front doors to the barn, as they are shut, and I run to the side. I look around anxiously, my vision fuzzy, but my head cleared by the adrenaline. I spot an open stable door and dash through it. I hear the man at the barn doors, pulling them open. I look left and right, before spotting a stack of hay. I duck behind the stack; right as the man flings the doors open, flooding the barn with moonlight. I hear the man walk forward, and am forced to bite back a scream. Suddenly unsure about my hiding place I glance around; searching for a new, better place to hide. My heart pounds in my throat, until I spot a ladder. I glance up and see a hayloft. I dash to it.

My foot falls through the floor and I cry out, before shoving my fist in my mouth and glancing around nervously. I couldn't hear the man moving, but I was positive he'd heard me. I look down to my foot and squint. I couldn't see anything, as I was in part of the barn that the moons rays did not reach. I try to pull my foot loose, but it was stuck.

I reach down, expecting to feel broken, splintered wood. Instead I feel nothing. Cold air surrounds my foot as I try to pull it loose. I hear the man's footsteps, slowly getting closer to me.

Fear clutches my heart, as I continue to try to free my foot.

The cold air was starting to encompass my calf, and my hands. I bite my lip to keep the panic that was rising in my chest from escaping.

The cold air soon reaches my waist, and I notice that I am sinking into the barn floor. I desperately reach out for solid ground, but feel nothing. I look around desperately for something, anything, to grab a hold of to pull myself out. But there was only hay. Before I realize it, the cold air has encompassed my torso, and was tickling my neck.

I search desperately for an escape, or to wake up and realize it was all a nightmare. But nothing happens. Panic continues to claw its way up my throat, and by the time my eyes are level with the barn floor, it escapes.

A bloodcurdling scream escapes my throat as I sink further into the cold air, and the barn disappears from sight completely.

My eyelids become heavy as I sink further into the cold. I force my eyes to stay open, as another wave of panic escapes my throat. The cold invades my mouth then, and travels down my throat, blocking my airway. I claw at my throat, spots dancing before my eyes as the cold suffocates me. Panic grows inside me, unable to escape, and my heart skitters around inside me, before I go limp and pass out from lack of oxygen. The cold encompasses me and drags me further down.

Riku groans and rolls over, clutching his stomach.

"What was _that_?" Riku grumbles, his voice course, as he sits up.

His head screams in protest, subsequently causing Riku's stomach to lurch violently. Riku scrambles to the edge of the island and vomits into the sea.

When his dry heaves had settled, Riku sits up slowly and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

"What the hell," Riku whispers, voice dry. Riku clears his throat. The pain was gone, and everything was back to normal. Except Riku still vividly remembered the 'attack'.

Unsteadily, Riku got to his feet. No wave of nausea ambushed him. Riku frowns and tilts his face towards the sky. A cool breeze caresses his face as he searches for the moon.

The moon was high in the sky. A smooth, full disk surrounded by twinkling diamonds.

Riku groans. It was late. By this time of night Riku was usually on his way back to the mainland. He had found the only place he could sleep was the island.

Utterly exhausted, Riku stumbles across the bridge, and yanks the door to the shack open. The shack was pitch black, and Riku is forced to feel his way down the stairs.

He finds the door without much trouble and pushes it open. Riku pauses in the doorway and lets his eyes adjust to the light of the full moon. Once his eyes were adjusted, Riku steps forward, and pulls the door shut behind him. Riku the turns and strides toward the dock.

But before he could go three steps, Riku finds himself stumbling over something, and does a face-plant into the sand.

Riku pushes himself up on his elbows and spits out sand. Riku wipes his mouth disgustedly, trying to get all the sand out, before slowly climbing back to his feet.

Riku turns and stares in shock at what he had tripped over.

Lying not two feet from the door to the shack was a girl.

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><p>Thanks for reading! Reviews are greatly appreciated!<p> 


	3. Two

Hey everyone! Sorry it took so long for me to upload the new chapter, my compter freaked me out cuz it was acting like it had crashed. But here's the second chapter, and from now on I'm going to try to upload a chapter every week, but no guarantees.

Hope you enjoy the new chapter!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts! If I did I would be making this into a new game, not a story.

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><p>Two<p>

I groan as I slowly wake up. My consciousness is fully awake before my body and I realize I'm laying on a hard wooden floor. I open my eyes and blink to clear them of lingering drowsiness.

I find myself in a wooden shack. Sunlight cuts through the wall and scatters its rays across the small room, illuminating my meager surroundings.

I sit up and clutch my head as it throbs painfully. Where was I? What had happened? And why couldn't I remember anything?

I stand up, only to immediately fall to the ground again. I groan and rub my temples as white spots invade my vision. Why wouldn't my head stop pounding?

I grab the wall and drag myself up, despite the dizzy spell that overtakes me. My head screams in protest and my vision flickers painfully. Each second seems like an eternity, but eventually the pain recedes to a dull ache behind my eyes.

Within moments after the pain had become an ache, it vanishes completely. I reluctantly let go of the wall and wait for another sharp pain to knock me off my feet. But none come.

'What just happened?' I ponder, before pushing the thought away and feeling around for a door. I finally find it, opposite of where I had been lying on the ground.

I pull on the door. It doesn't budge. I frown, pulling on the door again. It still refuses to budge. My heart leaps to my throat. Was I locked in? I tug on the door frantically, but it doesn't move. I groan and beat my head against the door, only to find myself falling through the doorway onto more hard wood.

I blink, surprised, and look at the door behind me, which was hanging open. My cheeks flush with heat at the foolish mistake.

I climb to my feet and look around, squinting in the bright sun. My eyes soon adjust and I realize I'm standing on a wooden scaffolding, above a white beach. The scaffolding was built into the side of a cliff. I slowly walk to the edge and look down over the beach. The white beach below sparkles in the sun, and to my right is more scaffolding, leading to a flat cliff. On top of the cliff was built a wooden platform, where I see a guy swinging a dark sword. But when I blink, he was gone. I turn my gaze to the left to see the rest of the island. Directly to my left, leaning against the wooden platform, was a ladder leading down to a dirt path below. I lean over to see that the dirt path leads to a waterfall and pool that was shaded by a giant tree that stood next to the pool. Below the waterfall pool is a ramp leading to the white sand beach. Near the waterfall was another shack positioned against the side of the cliff. Above the shack was a bridge that led from the side of the cliff to a small,detached island. On the island were a few palm trees,and a weirdly curved tree that stretched out over the water.

I scan the rest of the beach. Directly below me was a dock built into the cliffs, and tied at the dock were three small, one-man boats.

"Where am I?" I whisper, glancing around the island once more.

I decide to try to find someone to explain a few things to me. And the only person I'd seen had been on the wooden platform to my right.

I take a deep breath of the fresh ocean air and turn to my right to climb the precarious scaffolding. Which was, unfortunately, the only way to cross the gap between my current position and the wooden platform where I had seen the person. Rather, where I thought I had seen a person.

When I finally reach the platform, I look around and see... Nothing. There was no one there. I groan and walk around the platform, kicking at some rope in one of the corners, and examining some of the odds and ends lying around. In one corner I find a couple wooden practice swords. I pick up one of the swords and swing it around experimentally, putting it back when I accidentally whack myself in the head with it. I rub the back of my head where a bump was forming and sigh. I glance around one last time and go back to the shack where I had woken up.

I pull the door to the shack open, sighing, and step into the doorway of the dim shack. I could've sworn I had seen someone on the wooden platform earlier, but whoever it had been, they were long gone by the time I got there.

"There you are," a deep sensual voice emanates from the shadows.

My heart leaps to my throat and I scream.

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><p>Well? Questions? Comments? Review or PM me. Thanks for reading!<p> 


	4. Three

Here's chapter three everyone! The exciting part hasn't started yet, but it's getting there! I promise! Enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts. Unfortunately. TTnTT

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><p>Three<p>

"Whoa, whoa," the man says, stepping out of the shadows holding his hands up defensively. "Calm down, I'm not going to hurt you."

I close my mouth, cutting off the scream, and eye him nervously.

He was about 19, with strong features. He had full lips that rested on an angular jaw, below a defined nose. He had a medium build, and was muscular as I could see since his arms were well defined. I tear my gaze up, a blush rising in my cheeks. On top of his head was the most strangely colored hair that I'd ever seen. He had long silver hair that hung in his eyes, and shimmered in the dim light. He wore dark cloth pants, with some kind of over-pants that were attached to a belt at his waist. The over-pants were dark blue, and had white cloth sewn in at the seams. His shirt was a simple black muscle shirt, and over that he wore a white sleeveless jacket that had navy blue accents. Covering his hands were black fingerless gloves that were held on by buckles around his wrists. I force my gaze back up, to his head, and in the back of my mind I wonder what it would look like in the sun, before my attention is torn away by his eyes. His clear blue-green eyes regarded me skeptically, sizing me up just as I was him.

I look down at myself, realizing I probably don't look very impressive. My long black hair, which seems like it is normally semi-curly, is a tangled mess and I can barely run my fingers through it. The fact that it reaches my waist doesn't help matters. My clothes are as unimpressive as they are dirty, and my peaches-and-cream colored skin is flecked with dirt. I tug at my plain white dress shirt, trying to knock some of the dirk out inconspicuously, but my efforts are useless. My black pants are in no better shape, and I realize there is a hole over my right knee. I reach my hand up and tuck my hair behind my ear, while in the back of my mind i wonder what color my eyes are.

"Who are you?" I ask the man, my voice cracking.

He puts his hands down and steps forward, "I should be asking you that very question."

I frown, and try to remember my name.

He sighs, "My name is Riku."

I pause, almost remembering my name.

"Well?" He asks, raising an eyebrow. "What is your name?"

"My name is…." I pause and bite my lip, but no other name pops to mind, so I tell him the only name I can. "Rae. I'm Rae."

"How did you get here?" He demands, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I…" I bite my lip, struggling to remember, but I get nothing. "I don't know."

Riku frowns, unbelievingly. "Well where are you from?"

I search my memory. Gray clouds cover most everything. I am able to vaguely remember working, and a roommate, but when I try to focus on the faces, or my surroundings, the gray clouds become black and veil the memories from me. I sigh and shrug. "I don't know."

Riku stares at me unblinkingly. "Really?" He asks drearily.

"I really don't remember!" I cry indignantly. How dare he accuse me of lying! Even if it was only indirectly.

Riku shakes his head, "Fine, whatever."

I swallow nervously as he stares at me, unblinkingly, silently.

I clear my throat and croak out, "Where am I?"

"I dunno," Riku says, leaning against the wall of the wooden shack. "Where are you?"

I frown at him. "In the presence of a completely useless moron." I snap back at him.

He tilts his head. "Are you indeed?"

I glare at him. "You aren't going to help me at all?"

"I dunno," Riku shrugs. "Maybe if I knew who you were …"

"I _told _you, I don't know who I am!" I shout, stomping out the door.

I hear his footsteps follow me, but ignore him as I plop down on the edge of the wooden scaffolding and stare out at the ocean.

Riku walks up behind me and stands in my peripheral vision, just to the right enough that I would have to turn to look him in the face.

"I really don't know who I am, how I got here, or where I came from," I mumble. "All I know is that I woke up in that wooden shack, and I have no idea where I am."

"Then how did you know your name?" Riku asks slowly.

I shrug, "I don't know if my name is Rae. But that's the only thing that came to mind that sounded right."

I see Riku glance down at me and I turn to look up at him.

He sighs, before gesturing to the beach below us, and the cliffs behind. "This, is Destiny Islands. Over there," he points across the ocean and I spot a small land mass on the horizon, "is the mainland."

I glance down to the beach. "It's beautiful." I whisper.

Riku grunts "Yeah, it is."

We sit in silence for a few minutes, before Riku reaches up to rub the back of his head.

"Stay here," he says, before turning and walking away.

I scramble to my feet, "What?" I turn around to see him climbing down the ladder to the beach. "Wait! Where are you going?" I cry, running over to the ladder.

He stops at the bottom of the ladder and looks up.

"I'm going to get some of my friends so we can find out what to do with you," he shouts to me, before jogging down the beach.

I gape after him, speculating as to whether I should heed his advice, or try to follow him and find someone who would actually help me. Before I can make up my mind, he disappears into the bushes below and I lose all hope of catching up to him. I huff irritably and stomp over to the wooden shack before plopping down in the shade. I had no choice but to wait for Riku to show up with his friends. I sigh and stretch out, relaxing in the shade. If I was going to have to wait for Riku, I might as well be comfortable right? I close my eyes, ready to wait, and soak in the peacefulness of the island while I could.

Later

I jerk awake and look around frantically, before I realize where I am. I groan before stifling a yawn and stretching. I had fallen asleep, and by the looks of things, it had been a while, as the sun was now setting, casting everything into murky red and orange shadows. I stand up and walk to the edge of the platform. Riku was still nowhere to be seen.

"Where is he?" I mumble, angrily stomping to the ladder on the edge of the platform. I slowly climb to the bottom of the ladder and look around, trying to remember if Riku had turned left or right.

I glance right, to see only the docks where the three boats were still docked. I sigh and glance left only to see dense foliage. I go straight, onto the beach, and turn left. I walk down the beach, glancing around for Riku, or any people for that matter. Further ahead, to my right, I spot a small island, in the middle of the water, that was connected to the side of a cliff by a wooden bridge. I squint at the island, seeing three figures standing on it. But it's hard to make them out in the quickly dying light. I glance around, looking for a way to the island. The bridge leads to the cliff wall, which has no stair leading down, nor a ladder. I squint at the cliff wall, spotting a dark blob on the wall.

"A door?" I mumble, stepping forward. I spot a wooden shack on the beach, similar to the one I had woken up in. I jog up to the shack and pull the door open. After giving my eyes a few moments to adjust to the sudden darkness, I spot a staircase leading up.

"Bingo," I whisper, stepping into the shack and dashing up the stairs. I take the stairs two at a time, and quickly reach another door. I yank the door open and step onto the bridge leading to the small island. The three figures are still on the island. I march forward purposefully.

"Thought you could get rid of me that easily?" I pronounce. "Well I've got news for you." I step onto the white sand of the island and freeze, staring at the three figures.

"You... You're not..." I choke on my words as three pairs of glowing yellow eyes stare at me hungrily.

I stand frozen to the spot, staring at the creatures in front of me in horror.

They were tall, probably about 6', and pitch black. They swayed and twitched uncontrollably as if they were having a seizure. Their cold yellow eyes bore into me ravenously.

The monster closest to me slips a foot forward and slides closer to me. I respond by taking a nervous step back. The monsters were skeletal, but still strong. Their limbs looked as hard as the cliff wall at my back. The monster that had slid forward lets out a low moan and reaches its had forward. I notice that the creature has four fingers that have what seem to be long metal nails. I blink slowly, and take another step back, heart pounding painfully.

The monster moans and opens its mouth, releasing a gurgling sound within its moan, and the two monsters behind it fall to their knees and dissolve into two dark shadows on the ground before advancing towards me.

An involuntary squeak of terror escapes my lips and I turn and run back towards the cliff wall.

After yanking the door open, I practically tumble down the stairs before opening the door to the beach and running outside. I glance up to the bridge and see one of the monsters, presumably the leader, staring down at me from the bridge. It groans and waves a hand towards the cliff wall before pointing a sharp finger in my direction.

I watch in horror as the two shadowy blobs fall off the bridge into the sand and start towards me.

I spin around and sprint in the other direction. My heart pounds painfully in my chest. I veer right when the docks loom ahead, preventing me from going any further, and jog up the steps.

I glance over my shoulder and see three shadowy blobs approaching me. I run towards the ladder, hoping that the shack that I had woken up in was free of monsters, but two more monsters rose from the shadows on the ground as I was approaching the ladder. The shadows start sliding towards me, moaning deep in their throats. I yelp and scurry in the other direction, towards the waterfall basin.

Upon reaching the waterfall I stop, and lean over, hands on my knees, panting, I glance over my shoulder to see at least a half dozen monsters sliding towards me, and at least a dozen more shadowy blobs rushing towards me.

I back up slowly, my heart pounding in my chest, until my fingers touch the cool rock wall beside the waterfall.

I gulp, pressing myself against the wall, watching wide-eyed as the monsters draw closer moaning to each other. The shadowy blobs stretch out and solidify into more monsters before sliding towards me as well.

My heart pounds up to my throat and sits there, pounding furiously. I clutch my hands against the wall searching for something, anything, to save me from the horrible creatures.

The monsters continue their relentless advance and I turn my head away, squeezing my eyes shut in despair. I couldn't escape the truth.

I was going to die.

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><p>Yay for cliffhangers! Sorry everyone, but cliffhangers is how I keep you reading. ;)<p>

I don't know if I made it clear, but yes, Rae has amnesia

So? Questions? Comments? Concerns? Go ahead and click that little button down there labeled 'review'. You know you want to ;]

Thanks for reading!

.


	5. Four

Here's chapter four! Sorry it took me a bit longer to get this one up. Enjoy!

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><p>Four<p>

I feel something wrap around my ankle from behind. I shake my leg furiously, trying to free it. Could the monsters go into the rocks? My heart pound in my throat as I try to wrench my foot free. If I were going to die here, it wouldn't happen by having my head beat against the cliff wall.

The grip on my ankle tightens, and something else grabs my other ankle. I gasp, and brace myself against the cliff wall, eyeing the approaching monsters carefully, while still trying to free my ankles. However, any ground I gained, was immediately lost by the monsters, which were now mere inches from my face.

The unseen grip tightens around my ankles and tugs viciously. I cry out in surprise and throw my hands out to catch myself as I fall forwards.

The creatures in front of me pause as I spit out mud. The groan, slowly, almost questioningly, and I realize with horror, that I am right by the lead monsters feet. I yelp and scramble to get back on my feet, but whatever had pulled me down did not let go, and began dragging me backwards.

"No!" I scream, trying to kick, or grab something to slow me down. Nothing was within reach, and the grip on my ankles is secure. My heart pounds in my ears as I claw at the ground, uselessly, while I am drug into the cliff wall.

"Shut up!" A deep voice whispers furiously.

I snap my jaw shut and try to slow my breathing to a normal pace. I glance around hesitantly and realize that I had been drug into a hidden cave in the cliff wall.

I her grumbling from behind me, and glance over my shoulder to see a tall figure dragging me further into the cave.

"Riku?" I ask hesitantly. My head hits the cliff wall as we turn a corner, and I groan, reaching up to rub the quickly forming bump on the back of my head.

"Who else?" Riku growls. He drops my ankles and I sit up. Riku begins walking away, and in the gloom he quickly disappears from sight.

"This way," Riku says angrily, voice already distant.

I scramble to mu feet and yelp when my long hair gets caught on something. I feel along my hair to find that it got caught in a tree root. I yank on it viciously to free it, before scrambling after Riku. After turning a couple corners, which were discovered when I walked straight into the cave wall, I see a dim light ahead. I rush towards the light and find myself in a big open chamber.

"Over here," I turn towards Riku's voice and see the lantern move around. I walk towards the lantern, realizing someone held it. When I am n more than five feet from the lantern, I see that a boy about Riku's age, maybe a year younger held the lantern, and next to him stood a girl. I could not make out any of their features in the dim light, but the boy had dark, maybe brown, unnaturally spiky hair, and the girl had dark hair as well. The lantern light illuminated both their eyes, and I would guess that they both had bright blue eyes.

I look to Riku, ready to demand an explanation, but he turns to the boy, and they begin to argue softly. The girl glares at me, anger visible, even in the weak light.

"Who the hell is she?" the boy with spiky hair whispers, a little too loudly. Riku turns to me, clearly ignoring the boys' protests.

"How did you survive?" he demands.

I scoff, "Excuse me?"

"Yu heard me," Riku growls, stepping forward threateningly. "How. Did. You. Survive."

I shake my head and force out a dry laugh. "I ran." I spit out sourly. "What else would I do?"

The boy shakes his head furiously. "You can't just run from them! They're worse than before! And who the hell are you?" He screams at me furiously.

I blink slowly, biting back a scathing reply.

"Sora," Riku says quietly placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.

So apparently the boy's name was Sora.

Sora shrugs Riku off. "No! This is serious! They're stronger than they ever were before, and now I can't even fight them!"

"Fight them?" I say incredulously. "Why on earth would you want to fight them?"

Sora turns and glares at me viciously. "Who is she?" He asks Riku, pointedly ignoring my presence. Apart from the glare he kept shooting me.

Riku moves to stand next to me, "This is Rae," he says, placing a hand in the small of my back and shoving me forward. I stumble forward a few feet, and catch my feet a few inches from crashing into the girl.

"She showed up on the beach last night." Riku finishes. I turn and glare at him, while the girl glowers at me.

"And you kept her?" Sora growls. I spin around and glare at Sora.

"I'm a person!" I scream. "So stop acting as if I weren't here, or as if I were dumb. I'm right here, and I understand every word you are saying." I lower my voice and look at Sora. "And the words that you _**aren't**_ saying."

Riku smirks, but quickly covers it up and plasters a look of indifference on his face. "I did the humane thins Sora, I helped her. Just as I would hope you would do for me, were I a stranger washed up on the shore. I did not realize she brought the darkness with her."

I whirl around to Riku, "Excuse me? You think this is MY fault?"

The girl steps forward and draw my attention, but not soon enough for me to miss the conflicting emotions crossing Riku's face.

"How did you get here?" She asks softly.

I had to give her credit; she was trying to be civil towards me. So I decide to try to do the same for her.

I shrug. "I don't know."

"Where are you from?" Sora demands.

I glare at him, but hold my tongue and shrug.

"I think she has amnesia," Riku says, stepping closer to Sora. I vaguely notice he has positioned himself between Sora and I.

Sora's face begins to turn a bright shade of red."She could be anyone! She could be Ans-" the girl quickly covers Sora's mouth, effectively cutting him off.

"You know that's not possible. Besides, if she were on their side, why would they be trying to kill her? They seem to want HER more than you or I." she says softly, but her voice was laced with unheard threats.

I blink quickly looking from the girl to Sora and back. I finally look to Riku. "Uhm... Not to be a bother, but won't those things realize we're in here and come after us?" I ask him.

Sora laughs and I turn to look at him. "She really is dumb." Sora says.

Riku hits Sora over the back of the head with an open palm.

"Explain it to her." Riku growls. He leans over and whispers, loudly, into Sora's ear. "And stop being an ass."

The girl leans close to Sora's other ear while Sora glares at Riku and begins whispering something to him. Try as I might, I am unable to discern any of her words, but Sora's face reveals enough. She was threatening him, somehow, and telling him to be civil, if not nice. Sora sighs and turns his gaze to me.

"Fine. But only because you asked Kairi," Sora says, bending down to give the girl a quick kiss on the cheek while he was glaring at Riku. He then steps forward and places his hands on his hips, while regarding me.

"The creatures out there are called heartless. They are creatures of darkness that seek out the evil in people's hearts." Sora says, as he watches me carefully for my reaction.

I blink at him uncomprehendingly.

He rolls his eyes and continues talking. "Those are, or at least were, the weakest type, the Shadow heartless. But they seem to have… changed a bit since we last saw them."

I shake my head slowly. "Heartless?"

Sora sighs exasperatedly. "The heartless are created from people whose hearts have been completely corrupted by darkness. They seek out pure hearts, and take what they can. When they touch a pure heart, that heart is infected, and turns into a heartless as well. The person is destroyed."

I shudder. To think that I had been so close to being destroyed and my heart becoming one of those monsters.

"The heartless have no ability to reason; they are mindless creatures that prey on those with hearts. The stronger the heart, the more they are drawn towards it. Those with weak hearts are easily drawn in, and those with evil in their heart become a heartless quickly after their first encounter with a heartless."

I drop my head into my hands and shake it slowly. "This is too much to process."

Sora rolls his eyes and continues to talk. "We are by the door to our world. The shadow heartless cannot reach the door on their own. They need a stronger companion to breach the barrier that the door creates."

"But you just sad that they're stronger than before." I protest. "So how do you know that hasn't changed? How do you know if what you think you know is right anymore?"

Sora grits his teeth and his neck bulges angrily.

Riku steps up and stands in front of me, blocking my view of Sora. I hear Kairi talking to him quietly, frantically trying to calm him down.

"We're in here," Riku says, looking down at me, a grin showing in his eyes. "And they aren't. It would seem to me, that if they could reach us, they would've done it already. While what used to be true may be inaccurate now, it probably still holds a grain of truth."

I frown. "What if they're just waiting?" And why was Riku, who I'd assumed was Sora's best friend, backing me up instead of said best friend?

"Waiting for what?" Kairi asks hesitantly, peering at me over Riku's shoulder.

I shrug. "I don't know, but it doesn't make any sense for them to just stop outside the cave when we're sitting right in here."

Riku nods his head, glancing back at Sora. "She's right Sora. They are stronger than before. What's to stop them from just walking in here and overtaking us? Especially with the key-"

"Shut up!" Sora screams, cutting off Riku's sentence. Sora grabs Riku's shoulder and spins Riku to face him. "I don't know why it isn't there! Don't you think I would use it if I could? It's not there!" Sora is stretching up to get in Riku's face, but Kairi grabs his arm and pulls him back.

"Sora calm down!" she pleads, turning her gaze to Riku, and behind him, me. "Don't you think that if they could get in here, they would've? Besides like Sora said, the door creates a barrier. They can't get in here."

Sora barges his way past Kairi and points his finger in Riku's face. "Why are you siding with her? What makes you so sure that she isn't one of them?"

Riku holds his hands up defensively. "Calm down Sora, I only meant-"

"I know what you meant!" Sora shouts. "I know perfectly well what you meant! You think I'm a useless, worthless piece of-"

"Sora relax!" Kairi pleads, tugging on Sora's sleeve. "Riku is only trying to help! He wasn't implying anything. I know! Why don't you try to summon it again?"

Sora glares at Riku one final time, before turning his attention completely to Kairi. "Why? So I can make a fool of myself in front of _her_?" Sora gestures to me angrily looking down. "Besides, I don't even have the keychain anymore."

"What does she matter?" Kairi says, leaning over to peer up into Sora's eyes. "And wasn't the keychain just an addition? Something to make the sword stronger? You didn't have it the first time you summoned it did you?"

Sora shakes his head.

Riku open his mouth to speak, but Kairi throws him a 'shut up' look, and Riku snaps his mouth shut.

"Well? Did you have the keychain the first time?" Kairi asks Sora softly.

"No," Sora mumbles. "But I've had it ever since then."

"Uhmm…" I mutter, then clear my throat and speak louder. "Excuse me?"

Everyone's gaze turns to me. Even Sora lifts his head to glare at me.

"What are you talking about?" I ask.

Sora groans and clenches his fists. Kairi pats his arm reassuringly and looks to me.

"A weapon." She tells me. "Sora has a weapon that can destroy those monsters."

"And it's lost?" I inquire.

"Sort of," she nods.

"Sora," Riku says, hesitantly stepping forward. "Why don't you try to summon it one more time?"

"Fine," Sora grumbles. "But it won't work."

Sora passes the lantern to Kairi and steps away, placing himself at least three feet from Kairi, who was closest to him. We all turn to face him and watch to see what will happen.

Sora takes a deep breath and closes his eyes while holding his right hand out in front of himself, as if he were holding something. Sora takes a deep breath and seems to concentrate.

When nothing happens, he frowns and his fingers twitch a little. Sora ignores this and tenses his muscles, clearing hoping that if he physically exerts himself, he would make what was clearly a mental battle easier.

Nothing happens. Unless you count the three beads of sweat that pop out on Sora's forehead as something.

"Sora?" Kairi asks hesitantly taking a half step forward.

"I'm… Trying…" Sora grunts, as his hands start to tremble. More sweat pops out on his forehead and glisten in the lantern light. Sora grunts, and I notice a strange tugging in my chest.

"Almost… Got… It…" Sora grunts as the air begins to shimmer around his hand. A bead of sweat slides down his forehead and drips off the end of his nose.

I wince and distractedly rub at my sternum, intent on watching Sora. I vaguely notice the tugging sensation travel to my gut.

A sword begins to appear in Sora's hand. I stare at it, trying to see the faint outline of the shimmering blade hovering by Sora's hand. It's a long silver blade, fashioned into the shape of a key at the end. The handle is black, and a silver and black keychain hangs off the end of the handle, which is surrounded by a golden hand guard.

I yelp in surprise as the tugging in my gut flares. I cover my stomach with my hands and fall to my knees moaning. It felt as if someone were ripping out my stomach! The pain flares, and I fall to my side, curling into a ball as my insides feel as if they are being ripped out of me.

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><p>Thanks for reading! Reviews would be greatly appreciated! ^^<p> 


	6. Five

Here's chapter five! Sorry it took all week to upload, but I got it here for ya! Enjoy.

I don't own Kingdom Hearts T-T

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><p>Five<p>

Sora groans and the wrenching in my gut instantly vanishes. I slowly uncurl and glance up to see Sora panting slightly. Riku glances over and sees me on the floor. He starts to walk towards me, and I scramble to my feet, clutching my head, as the world around me seems to spin.

"I almost had it," Sora pants as I shrug Riku off. Sora turns and glares at me. "Did you see that? It was **there**."

"It looked…" Riku says, diverting Sora's attention away from me momentarily.

"Different," Kairi chirps.

Sora glances at Kairi and shrugs. "Maybe it's just because the heartless changed. We'll never know now that _**someone**_ broke my concentration." Sora growls, glaring at me.

"Hey, take it easy," Riku says before turning to scrutinize me. I fidget uncomfortably under his cerulean gaze. "What was that about? Are you alright?" He asks, forcing me to turn around as he inspects me for any damage.

Sora scowls at me and directs his comment towards Riku, "Forget her, she was just faking it to distract me. I guarantee it, she's working with them."

"Sora," Riku says calmly. Sora looks at Riku curiously. "**Shut up!**" Riku yells.

Sora's mouth falls open in surprise, but Riku ignores him and turns back to me. "What happened?"

I blink, watching as Sora starts whispering furiously to Kairi and she tries to calm him down "My stomach…"

Kairi turns to me, leaving a very red, very angry Sora behind her, "Are you alright?"

I nod. "It's gone now."

Riku looks at me skeptically, and turns his attention to Sora. "Think you could try again?"

Sora scowls and shakes his head, "Not right away, no thanks to _**her**_, I'd need to wait and recover my strength."

I look over my shoulder as I hear a shuffling sound coming from the tunnel. I squint into the darkness and try to discern any forms. A low moan sounds, and I take a step away from the entrance to the cavern.

"Uhm… Guy? I don't think we have a while," I say, backing towards the far wall of the cave. "I don't think we even have five minutes."

"Sora glares at me, fury plain in his eyes, even in the dim light. "What are you talking abo-"

He's cut off when a horrible banging sounds from the tunnel leading to the cavern. I cover my ears and watch in horror a new monster steps out of the tunnel. The shadows scurry around its feet in blobs while a few stand up and flank the new monster on either side.

I hear Sora curse under his breath when I reluctantly uncover my ears.

The new monster, a heartless I remind myself, is shorter than the others, but is no less terrifying as a result. It emanates a strong, metallic rusty smell; and when I swallow nervously, it tastes as if I've swallowed a rusty piece of metal. The monster looks as if it is wearing a dark suit of armor, but as it moves forward, I realize that the monster's skin has metal in it, and the monster itself is a suit of armor. Rectangular plates cover the monsters stomach, and its breastplate bears a strange, twisted heart symbol. Metal plates cover the forearms and branch off into a sharp triangular point at the monsters elbows, and its biceps are covered with more metal. Resting on its shoulders are twisted pointed pieces of metal that extend a foot or so in places, forming spikes. The monster's hands are covered by a flat metal plate, and each joint of its fingers have new pieces of metal that extend to form spikes, similar to claws. Its legs are covered by two thin dark pieces of metal, and there's a round piece of metal covering the kneecaps. Metal shoes cover the monsters' feet that have spikes extending from the heels and pointing up towards the monsters calves.

I reluctantly look towards its head, and grimace. Cold yellow eyes watch me calculatingly from behind a dark helmet. The mouthpiece is down, covering the lower half of the creatures face, and the top of the helmet twists into two spikes on the top of its head similar to horns.

Kairi lets out an involuntary squeak and runs to hide behind Sora as the monster approaches. It pauses and turns to one of the shadows on its right and clanks loudly. I realize that the pieces of metal on the monster were being hit together to let out the clanking sounds. The shadow moans and the new monster gestures to me with its sharp, metal-made claws. The shadow moans again and sinks into a dark blob before quickly advancing on me.

I yelp and jump away, running to the opposite side of the room while Sora, Riku, and Kairi back towards a wall that has what seems to be a door carved into the rocky surface.

"Sora," Riku says softly, purposefully. "Remember when you said they were mindless?"

Sora nods curtly, jaw clenched.

"I don't think they're mindless anymore!" I yelp, jumping over a shadowy blob in front of them as I head to the wall opposite my original position.

"Rae get over here!" Kairi squeaks, crouching behind Sora.

I turn right and dodge three more shadowy blobs before I skid to a stop between Sora and Riku, before collapsing to the ground panting,

Riku takes a deep breath and opens his right hand, similar to what Sora had done earlier. The air swirls around his hand and dark shadows circle his palm as a thick black blade appears in his hand.

Sora glances down and notices the blade before glaring at Riku. "How come you still have yours?"

Riku glances to Sora irritably, "This is not the time or place Sora. I can't fight them all off, especially as I cannot kill them. Only the keyblade can."

My right hand twitches and I feel a slight tugging in my gut again. I lift my hand to cover my stomach, hoping desperately that I don't have another mysterious attack.

"Well I can't summon it!" Sora screams.

"Then what are we going to do?" Riku yells as he runs forward and swings his blade through a shadow heartless that had been mere feet from our pitiful little group.

The heartless stares at Riku before exploding into shadows. The shadows rush to a dark corner and quickly reform.

"Shit!" Riku cries as he continues to fight the quickly advancing heartless. "This isn't working!" he shouts back to Sora.

"I'm trying!" Sora screams back. I glance to Sora and realize that he's in the same stance as earlier; eyes closed, muscles tensed, trying, as I now realized, to summon his weapon.

I feel the tugging in my gut grow stronger and my right hand twitches again.

I begin to panic, '_No!'_ I raise my hand to cover my abdomen '_Not again!_'

The tugging intensifies and Sora shouts triumphantly.

"I've almost got it!" Sora shouts.

I bite back a groan, and clutch my stomach. _'No! I won't let this happen now!_' I force myself to stand up straight, determined to not let a simple stomach cramp cripple me. The tugging has become a vicious yanking in my gut, and through the haze of pain, I see Sora holding his hand out triumphantly, where an almost solid version of the misty blade from before hovered mere centimeters from his fingers. I swallow the cry of pain fighting its way up my throat as my stomach threatens to burst from its place in my abdomen.

I force my resolve to tighten, and try desperately to ignore the ripping sensation in my stomach.

I look around for something to focus on, anything besides the feeling of my insides being ripped out. But nothing offers me relief from the horrible pain in my gut. My right hand begins to twitch uncontrollably, and flies to rest over my heart, before I can even try to stop its insane twitching. The pain in my gut pauses momentarily, before re-surfacing. In the back of my mind I realize that Sora is shouting angrily, but I'm too lost in the pain to register his words.

My heart thumps loudly under my palm. Once. Twice. I force myself to take a deep breath as the pain begins to slowly recede. My heart begins to swell, as the pain leaves my stomach, it seems to travel to my heart, losing its bite along the way. I feel what used to be pain tingle up my spine to my heart. In a brief moment of panic, I stop. What if I was having a heart attack? But the moment I lose my focus, the pain returns to my gut in full force and I struggle to calm my nerves.

Whatever was going on, whatever the pain was, when it was in my gut I felt as if someone were reaching in me and ripping out my stomach. So whatever it became near my heart was not painful, which meant it had to be good, right? I sincerely hope so. I focus on directing the pain up to my heart where it turns into a feeling of such joy, that my heart swells and seems to try to escape its boundaries. I scrunch my eyes shut to focus harder. The ripping in my gut is now a mere faint tugging again, and all but disappears. I vaguely hear Sora scream in fury.

I shut out all background noise and follow my instincts, which tell me to focus on my hand over my heart. My heart swells happily, and I can feel it beneath my palm. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Four beats in quick succession. I take a deep breath and just when I feel as if my heart cannot possibly expand any further, my right hand involuntarily jumps to my side and I feel the extra energy in my heart release. I feel it as a physical, tangible presence as it travels down my arm to gather within my open, upturned palm. The energy swirls there momentarily, before quickly solidifying, and dropping into my hand as a solid object. I close my hand around the object and open my eyes.

Sora and Kairi are both staring at me, mouths agape; and Riku, who is busy fighting the heartless, throws a shocked look my way.

I look down to find a weapon in my hand. A long silver sword, with a golden hand guard surrounding the handle. A silver keychain with a pendent of three circles overlapping each other swings from the hand guard. The end of the blade is fashioned after a key, and the entire length of the blade, even the unique key shape at the end, is finely sharpened into a minute edge.

"What. The. Hell." Sora growls, glaring into my eyes as if contemplating the most painful way to kill me.

"Rae…" Kairi asks cautiously. "Why do _you_ have the keyblade?"

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><p>So is anyone tired of my cliffhanger endings yet? Heehee, thanks for reading, and remember, reviews are always appreciated!<p> 


	7. Six

Here"S the new chapter everyone! Sorry it took all week to get it. Hope you enjoy!

Six

"I…I…" I stutter, staring at the deadly weapon in my hand in shock.

"Now isn't the time!" Riku shouts, stabbing his sword at a shadow heartless. The shadow dodges and claws at Riku's face. He jumps around it but is too slow and receives four long scratches along his cheek. "Help me fight them!" Riku shouts to me.

"But I don't know-" I stutter as Sora shoves me towards Riku.

"Go on Rae," he says saccharinely. "Help Riku fight."

"But-" I'm cut off as the new heartless launches itself at me, clanking loudly.

I scream and duck, swinging the blade as the heartless passes me. Upon hearing a clatter, I glance back to find that the heartless had fallen to one knee as the calf below that knee was now lying beside me, twitching.

I squeal and jump away, holding the keyblade in front of me, as if it would fight by itself.

The heartless looks up at me and launches itself forward, despite its missing limb. I squeeze my eyes shut and swing the keyblade. The blade meets a little resistance before passing through the heartless like butter.

I hear a thud and peek one eye open. The body of the heartless lies in front of me. The severed stump of its neck was disintegrating into small shadows. I glance down and see the head, lying on the floor, staring up at me with its cold yellow eyes. The body reaches a hand towards me and falls forwards.

I squeal and swing the keyblade. It passes straight through the heartless's torso and the body explodes into shadows. I clutch the handle of the keyblade desperately and wait for the heartless to re-form. But it doesn't.

I glance around and realize that the shadow heartless are all gone, as Riku had just killed the last one.

"What- What-" I stutter, falling to my knees.

Sora bursts out laughing. I look up to him and stare at him blankly. Riku steps forward and frowns, as he observes Sora's seeming descent into madness, and Kairi steps out from behind Sora and blinks at him uncomprehendingly.

"What's so funny Sora?" Kairi asks.

Sora laughs louder before pointing to me. "Her. This whole scenario. _Everything_." Sora stomps over to me and I stare up at him from my vantage point on the ground.

Sora crouches down and stares at me at almost eye level.

"You've never fought before, have you Rae?" he asks softly.

I blink. Why was his voice suddenly so…nice?

"No, you don't seem like you've ever fought. So what would you want with a weapon like the keyblade?" Sora continues.

I look down at the weapon still clutched in my hands. He was right. I'd never fought before this day. I would inevitably do more harm than good with a weapon as powerful as the keyblade seemed to be.

"So give it to me?" Sora whispers, holding out his hand.

I frown. Would he be able to use it? He hadn't been able to summon it earlier. And what was up with his sudden change in demeanor? I glance at the sword in my hand and decide. If Sora could use it, all the better. Because I had no idea how to fight. I reluctantly hold the sword up for Sora.

Sora's eyes gleam as he reaches over and grabs the handle, and slowly lifts the keyblade from my hands.

"Ha!" Sora shouts triumphantly. "I knew it was just a fluke!"

Sora jumps to his feet and I watch, fascinated, as the sword disappears in a burst of light. The droplets of light flutter down to my upturned face and kiss my exposed skin with warmth.

"Damn!" Sora screams. He turns and punches the cave wall, before cradling his now bloody fist.

Kairi rushes over to Sora, who has started cursing under his breath.

"Rae," I turn towards the sound of my name and find Riku standing above me, offering his hand out to help me up. I accept his hand and he pulls me to my feet.

"I thought you couldn't kill them," I mumble.

"What?" Riku asks as his dark sword disappears in a shower of darkness.

I clear my throat. "I thought you couldn't kill the heartless."

"Oh, well technically, I can't," Riku says. Upon seeing the confusion on my face he grins and explains. "Only the keyblade can truly kill them. The ones I destroyed will be reborn, but when they keyblade is present they will not reform in the same area as the keyblade."

"Oh," I mumble, glancing over to Sora who has started punching the cave wall relentlessly. Kairi is tugging on his arms, trying to get him to stop, but it is to no avail.

Riku sighs and releases my hand, which I had not realized he still held, and walks towards Sora. I look down at my hand and realize that it is trembling uncontrollably.

"Get away from me!" I jump, startled at the sudden shout, and look towards the source of the sound, Sora. Riku is a few feet away from Sora, holding his hands up in the universal sign for surrender.

"Sora!" Kairi cries. "What has gotten into you?" Riku didn't do a thing!"

Sora swings his bloody fist at Riku, but Riku dodges at the last minute. Kairi screams out in frustration and tackles Sora from behind. I blink, slowly closing my eyes and reopening them, and soon Kairi is pinning Sora to the ground, face down, trapping his arms with her knees.

"Kairi get off of me!" Sora spits, trying to get mud out of his mouth.

"Not until you snap out of it! Riku is your, **our**, friend! Why would you attack him?" Kairi cries.

"He brought her! He's always been jealous of me, because I have you, and now he brought this heartless bitch to steal my life from me. He planned this whole thing Kairi! And now she stole my keyblade and they're going to kill you and make me suffer!"

"No they're not!" Kairi cries. "Why would they? Why would Riku hate you? Why would he kill me?"

I climb to my feet and stumble unsteadily before making my way to Sora. I crouch down in front of Sora. He struggles against Kairi when he spots me, but she manages to keep him down.

I look down into Sora's eyes and smile sweetly.

"You don't want to fight," I say sweetly. "You want to live a happy life here, on this island, without any trouble, or monsters attacking. So why would you want a weapon like the keyblade?" I purr, throwing his own words back in his face.

Sora looks down and I see the fight visibly dying from him as my words sink in.

"Stupid," I giggle, flicking his forehead with my middle finger.

Sora glares up at me, but he had no argument, as I was right, and he knew it.

"Can you get off me Kairi?" Sora mumbles. "I won't attack anyone."

Kairi glances at Riku, then me. We both shrug and she reluctantly climbs off of Sora, who stands and tries to brush off his clothes. He only succeeds in smearing the mud around more however, but he doesn't seem to notice as he turns to face Riku. He opens his mouth to talk, but seems to think better of it and snaps his jaw shut.

Riku watches Sora and holds out his hand carefully, "Friends?"

Sora grins and nods, clasping his fist with Riku's. "Friends."

The two shake hands, then bump fists, despite Sora's bloody fist and his obvious pain. When Riku releases Sora's fist Sora turns to me.

"I'm…" Sora mumbles.

Kairi nudges him.

Sora sighs and looks in my eyes. "Sorry okay? I'm sorry."

I grin and nod. "Apology accepted. And I'm sorry for stealing your keyblade."

Sora shrugs. "It chooses its weilder. Apparently it doesn't think I'm suited for that job anymore. So it chose you."

I smile. "Nonetheless…"

Kairi steps forward and sticks her hand out towards me. I take it tentatively and we shake hands as Kairi chatters.

"I'm Kairi by the way. And I'm sorry for Sora's behavior, it was completely unacceptable."

I glance behind Kairi's grinning face to see Sora rolling his eyes before looking down at his bloody fist.

"It's fine," I mumble, turning back to Kairi. "But you might want to check his hand."

"Oh!" Kairi drops my hand and runs over to Sora. Despite his protests she starts fawning over his injured hand and immediately starts cleaning it with a rag that she pulls out of her pocket.

Riku steps over to stand next to me.

"You handled that well," he says.

I shrug. "As did you. If he had tried to deck me, I wouldn't have been able to just dodge it. I would have tried to hit him back."

"He's my friend," Riku says painfully.

"That's no excuse," I say.

Riku shrugs, "Whatever."

We watch as Kairi bandages a protesting Sora's hand. Soon everything is quite, and then I feel it. The ground shudders slightly.

"What was that?" I ask Riku, an edge of hysteria in my voice.

Riku's face had gone pale, and he was staring towards the path that led to the entrance of the cave. I feel the ground shake again, and this time, Sora and Kairi feel it as well, as they both look towards the entrance of the cave.

"What is it?" I ask, the hysteria in my voice growing.

Riku jumps into a defensive position and summons his dark sword.

"We need to get out of here, NOW!" Riku cries.

I whimper, "What's going on?"

"How?" Sora cries. "That's the only way out!"

I glance around frantically and spot the door behind Sora and Kairi. "What about that door?" I ask.

Sora turns to me in disbelief. "That's the heart of this world! We can't just waltz in!"

Riku grabs my wrist and drags me to the door, while Sora and Kairi converge behind me.

"It's better than the alternative," Riku says to Sora before turning to me. "Rae, summon the keyblade."

I frown, none too excited to summon the deadly weapon again. Thankfully, it is easier this time, and within minutes the blade is gleaming in my hand, beautifully refracting the light. And if I were to be honest, it is creating its own light.

"Open the door!" Riku cries.

The ground is in constant motion now, shaking almost as if it were simultaneous with footsteps. And there are now periodic thuds that match the shaking of the ground.

"How?" I cry.

"The keyblade can unlock anything!" Sora yells to be heard over the thudding.

I glance back to the path, hearing a loud crashing sound.

"What is it?" I ask, trying desperately to see through the darkness.

"Something you aren't ready to meet!" Sora tells me sternly. "A large armor. So open the door."

"How?" I cry again.

"Just point the keyblade!" Riku yells. "It'll do the work from there!"

I reluctantly raise the keyblade and point it at the door in the side of the cave wall.

Nothing happens.

The entire cave shakes as rubble begins to fall from the ceiling.

"It's coming!" Kairi cries.

I close my eyes and focus, trying to get the keyblade to work.

Once again, nothing happens.

The cave shudders and the ground is ripped from under my feet as I fall to the ground. I look around me and see that everyone else has fallen to their feet as well.

Rubble explodes from the cave entrance and rains down on us as the shaking and thudding stops.

Kairi whimpers and dives behind Sora as Riku slowly climbs to his feet.

"We're out of time," Riku growls. "It's here."

Well? What did you think? As always, review are appreciated, and thank you for reading my story.


	8. Seven

Here's the next chapter of Kingdom Hearts: Reborne. Thank you to all who have read and reviewed my story so far, and I hope you like this new chapter.

Disclaimer: I own only Rae. Not Kingdom Hearts nor any of its characters.

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><p>Seven<p>

Riku and Sora step in front of me, blocking my view of the new monster.

"What is that thing?" I cry, trying to peer around Sora. Riku grabs my shoulder and spins me around to face the door in the cave wall.

"Nothing you need to see," Riku growls. "Get that door open!"

I glance over my shoulder, but Sora and Riku keep blocking my view of the monster that had broken into the cave. I sigh and look down at the weapon in my hand. Why couldn't I open the stupid door? What was I doing wrong?

I wave the keyblade around in the air, but nothing happens. Unless you count the look Kairi gives me, which I don't.

I tap the sword against the door in various places. There's a loud thud from behind me, and the ground trembles. Panic begins to claw at my throat.

'_Calm down._' I start at the quiet voice, and look around frantically for the source, before I realize that the voice is in my head.

"Great, now I'm hearing voices," I grumble angrily, glaring down at the keyblade in my hand. Kairi raises her eyebrows at me, but I ignore her.

'_Take a deep breath, calm down, and open the door,_' The voices murmers.

I huff, frustrated. How would I be able to open the door? I'd already tried, and failed. What would make this time any different?

'_Open the door Rae, or perish. You are not meant to die here. Use your heart, open the door, and fulfill your destiny._'

I roll my eyes and growl under my breath, "If it were that easy I'd have done it already."

"Rae! Stop mumbling to yourself and get that blasted door open!" Sora yells. I glance over my shoulder and realize that Riku is no longer standing behind me, and that Sora is now solely blocking my view of the fight that was clearly going on. And he was glaring at me over his shoulder.

"What's the problem?" Sora yells.

I glare at him before turning back to the door and taking a deep breath. I close my eyes and push away the terror, the panic, forcing it back down my throat. I also push away my irritation at Sora and Riku, for not trusting me to fight, or to even help fight. I push away all thoughts and all emotions and focus solely on my breathing.

I open my eyes and find that the world around me has faded to a dull greyish black, and that only the door in front of me was clear. The keyblade thrums softly in my hand and I raise it slowly, aiming at the door. The end of the blade glows softly before it shoots a ray of light at the door. I hear a loud clicking noise, and the world slowly comes back into focus.

The doors swing inward, and a faint light glows beyond the doors.

"She did it! Sora! The doors are open!" Kairi screams.

I blink, stunned as Sora runs up from behind me. Sora reaches out and grabs Kairi's hand before stepping through the doorway.

"Riku! Doors open!" Sora yells over his shoulder before he and Kairi run towards the light. The two of them disappear into a shower of light.

I hear a loud thud from behind me and the entire cave shakes violently. I start to turn around, but Riku appears next to me and, upon grabbing my wrist, he drags me through the open doors.

I glance back towards the cave and see a giant round monster pulling its head out of the cave wall. Then the doors close and I'm engulfed in flames as the light surrounds us.

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><p>Yes, the chapter was unusually short, sorry about that. But its EOC time at school, and my schedule is all out of wack. Thank you for reading and remember, reviews are always appreciated.<p> 


	9. Eight

Here's chapter Eight! Sorry it's a bit short... Hope you all enjoy it anyway!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts

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><p>Eight<p>

I vaguely notice Riku's grip on my wrist, but it seems unimportant. When we had first entered the light, however long ago it had been, the light had consumed us. My skin had felt as if it were being melted away, bearing me, body and soul, to the invasive light. But the burning had soon faded, and now Riku and I were drifting through the soft, warm light.

I look around lazily, unable to remember my goal, my purpose, or why I had been so desperate to escape the light. Now I saw no reason to leave, no reason to do anything but drift in the light for all eternity.

Riku moves and I look his was drowsily. He was kicking and flailing his arms frantically. I open my mouth to ask what his problem was, but find myself unable to activate my vocal cords. So I close my mouth and watch Riku, eyes half lidded.

Riku manages to propel himself forward and he drags me along with him. I fight against him weakly , but am unable to summon enough energy to put up much of a fight.

Up ahead I see that the light fades away into a dark pinpoint, and that it was that pinpoint that Riku was dragging me towards. I begin to struggle more. I didn't want to leave this place. And the closer we get to the darkness, the colder it becomes. Riku glares at me as I struggle, but I pay no heed to him and continue to struggle with increasing intensity.

All my attempts are futile, and before I know it, Riku has drug me into the darkness. The cold darkness immediately surrounds me and I shudder, gasping. Cold fingers find their way around my throat and begin to force themselves into my airway. I try to ignore the intense feeling of déjà vu, and fight against the darkness. But my efforts fail, and within moments, I black out.

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o

I jerk up and blink in the bright sun. Glancing around I realize that I'm in a plaza of some sort. I sit up and start to stretch, only to find that I can't raise my left arm. I look down and see Riku, unconscious and still clutching my wrist. I shake my hand, but he doesn't let go and remains infuriatingly, unhelpfully, unconscious.

I reach over with my other hand and begin to pry his fingers from around my wrist. Eventually I manage to free my wrist and I rub it to get the circulation flowing again. Angry red marks encircle my wrist, proof of the strength of Riku's grip.

Looking around I see nothing. I decide against walking around, for fear that Riku would wake and, upon finding me gone, leave. I sigh and look down at Riku.

He is lying face down, and his hair shimmers in the light. I cross my arms to keep from running my fingers through his silky looking hair that is sprawled around his head. I decide to help him, and scoot around to flip him over. It's a bit of a struggle, but I manage to get him on his back.

I gasp when I catch sight of his face. The four long scratches from the shadow heartless are bright red and puffy, and seem to have bled a lot, as he had blood smeared everywhere.

I lean forward, over Riku, intending to brush his hair away from the seemingly infected scratches when a shadow falls over me and three sharp points dig into my neck.

"Stand up slowly, with your hands where I can see them," a deep voice growls.

I slowly turn my gaze toward the source of the voice and see a large man. Of more importance are the sharp pinpoints at my neck that seem to be his nails. Or rather, his claws.

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><p>Comments? Concerns? Thanks for reading and remember reviews are always appreciated.<p> 


	10. Nine

Hey everyone! I'm back! Now that finals are finally over, I should be able to post every week again. Sorry to have left you all with a cliff-hanger ending for two weeks but circumstances, i.e. fianls and my mother refusing to relinquish the computer, prevented me from posting. Honestly, she is the defenition of a facebook addict. But anyway, onto the story!

Disclaimer: Sadly, in my absence, I have still not gained ownership of Kingdom Hearts. So I still have to say that I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

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><p>Nine<p>

I swallow the lump that had formed in my throat and raise my hands in surrender while slowly climbing to my feet. I could now see that the claws were not actually his nails, but rather something similar to a glove that buckled around the man's wrists. Four-inch long metal spikes werved as his 'claws'. His forearms were covered with black arm protectors, and he wore a plain white muscle shirt and dark blue jeans.

He was tall, probably over six foot, with short spiky black hair and russet skin. His eyes were a liquid silver, and they were regarding me skeptically.

Once I'm standing, hands held up in surrender, Riku groans. I wish desperately to help him, but I don't dare take my eyes off of the man in front of me to check on him.

"Alright girl, what did you do to him?" the man growls, gesturing at Riku with his left hand, which, I notice, does not have claws.

"I don't know what you're tal-" I start to say, but he cuts me off.

"Don't give me that crap! You clearly did something!" he yells at me. He steps closer and moves his claws so that they are poised over my neck, ready to rip my throat out.

I blink up at him, feeling very small. "I didn't- I don't- I don't know what happened." I sob.

Riku groans again and I feel him grip my ankle.

"Rae," he groans and begins coughing uncontrollably.

I decide to risk my neck, literally, and glance down to Riku. He's propped himself up on his elbows and has ducked his head, coughing. I look pleadingly at the man standing over me, but he merely narrows his eyes at me.

Riku finally manages to stop coughing and climbs to his feet.

"What's going on here?" he asks, narrowing his eyes at the man poised to rip my throat out.

"This little vixen attacked you," the man growls. "I was merely doing my civic duty."

Riku opens his mouth to speak, but a new voice calls out.

"Slash!" the voice yells. I shudder at the smooth, sensual voice, even though it is angry,

The man in front of me, apparently named Slash, winces, but doesn't budge. A third man comes into view and my knees go weak. He was sexy incarnate. Only one word came to mind when I saw him, and that was 'hot'.

He was slightly shorter than Slash, about the same height as Riku, which was probably 6'. He has a lean, muscular build, and bright red hair that is cut so that it reaches slightly past the nape of his neck, and his bangs fall down to frame his eyes. His eyes are jade green, and have a playful light to them as they rake over my body. His features are smooth, catlike, and everything about him is animalistic. On his cheeks are two upside-down triangular tattoos, one under each eye. He is wearing blue jeans, and a bright green shirt with a short-sleeved black jacket over it. The corner of his mouth lifts into a smirk as he reaches out and gently pushes Slash's arm down.

"You can't go around threatening pretty girls," he purrs. "Or have I taught you nothing?"

Slash grumbles under his breath as the new man steps in front of me.

"And who might you be?" he asks, leaning down so that his face is level with mine.

I swoon, struggling to keep a grip on reality as his scent ambushes me. It's a musky, sweet scent that is entirely masculine. I blink up at him, trying to form a coherent thought.

Something grabs my elbow and yanks me away from the enticing redhead.

"Rae," a voice growls. "Her name is Rae."

I shake my head to clear my thoughts, and realize it had been Riku who had spoken, and it was Riku who had pulled me away from the redhead. I glance up and see Riku frowning and glaring at the redheaded man in front of me.

"Do I know you?" Riku asks slowly.

The redhead smirks. "Not in this life. My name is Alex."

I sway on my feet, still intoxicated by his potent scent. Riku glances down at me and frowns, before dragging me around to stand behind him.

"What do you mean, not in this lifetime? And what did you do to Rae?" Riku growls, clenching his fists.

Alex laughs, a wonderful soft, provocative laugh.

"She's fine. Most women have that reaction around me," Alex grins. "It'll wear off and she'll be back to her normal charming self soon."

Riku grits his teeth and growls, "If I were you, I'd watch my tongue."

"My, my," Alex tsks. "You've certainly gained a harsher personality since last we met."

"We've never met. You said so yourself," Riku growls. I distractedly notice that Riku's knuckles have turned white from his clenching his fists so tight.

"I said not in this lifetime. Do you not remember your escapades from three ears back?" Alex grins.

I look to RIku and see him grimacing. I step forward, relativly cured of Alex's intoxicating aura.

"What are you talking about?" I ask Alex. Slash, who is standing behind Alex, yawns.

"Dearest Riku here knows what I'm talking about. Don't you Riku?" Alex grins, winking at me.

I flush and look to Riku, only to find that he had gone pale as a ghost.

"No..." Riku whispers. "It's not possible..."

"Yet here I am," Alex grins, spreading his arms wide. "I'm back, and better than ever!"

Suddenly, flames erupt in Alex's palms. Green fire burns in his left palm, and in his right palm burns red fire.

"Axel," Riku says hoarsly.

I look to Alex, utterly confused. Alex is grinning at me mischeviously. For a breif moment, I see a flicker of someone else. A man who is slightly taller than Alex, older, and with longer hair and a black coat.

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><p>So what do you all think of my reincarnation of Axel? I practically squealed with excitedment when I found that I could turn his name into Alex. Now, onto serious business. I need a favor, rather your input. Which members of Organization 13 should Rae meet next? If you just have a request for a certain member, or group of members, or if you can think of an order for her to meet all the members, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you all for reading my story, and I hope you continue to read! Reviews are always welcome!<p> 


	11. Ten

Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't posted in so long! I lost my flashdrive a week ago and freaked out trying to find it, but all's good now. Thanks to everyone who hasn't given up on me. Hope you enjoy the story!

Disclaimer:

Riku: *spots me* Who are you?

Me: *splutters* Who am I? I'm the writer! I own you all!

Sora: *scoffs* You don't own us.

ME: *pouts* A girl can dream can't she?

Rae: You can drea when you update weekly.

Me: *glares* You I DO own...

Rae:*swallows nervously*

Riku: But as of right now, BlewItUp does not own Kingdom Hearts.

(I decided to try something new for the disclaimer, tell me if you think its stupid, or annoying and if I should just stop and get on with the story)

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><p>Ten<p>

"Stop showing off Alex," Slash grunts, slapping Alex on the back.

Alex slowly lowers his hand as the red, then green, flames flicker out.

"Nervous?" Alex grins.

"No, I'm tired of the theatrics," Slash grunts.

"What… What's going on?" I mutter, nervously watching Riku, who seems as if he's about to throw up.

Alex grins and opens his mouth to speak, but Slash pushes him aside.

"Ignore him," Slash grunts, glaring at Alex. "Who are you guys, and what are you doing here? You clearly don't belong here, given your attire."

I glance down at my clothes and am shocked to find them tattered and filthy. Riku's clothes aren't in much better shape.

Riku clears his throat and looks to Slash.

"Who are you?" Riku asks, staring defiantly at Slash.

"Dude, I asked first," Slash says, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

I step forward, noticing Riku's clenched fist.

"My name is Rae, and this is Riku." I say, smiling sweetly.

"And what are you doing here?" Slash grunts.

I shrug and look at Riku. He shakes his head.

"I don't know," I tell Slash. "We kind of… Uhm…"

I pause, searching for the right words.

"Traveled through the darkness?" Alex asks.

I blink at him and Riku's jaw falls open.

"How did you…" Riku mutters.

"The shadows cling to you. Typical of those who have just exited the darkness." Alex says casually, scratching his neck.

"The darkness surrounds this world," Riku growls, clenching his fists. "It would be impossible to arrive here without passing through it."

"True," Alex says, stepping forward and grinning. "But only an experienced traveler such as yourself would know that."

By now Alex is standing right in front of Riku, each staring at the other, daring him to back down. I look at Slash.

"Do you have any idea what's going on?" I ask.

Slash shrugs.

I sigh. "I really don't want to stick around and watch things get nasty…" I mutter under my breath.

Slash nods.

"Do you…" I pause, and then hesitantly ask. "Do you know anywhere I could get, you know, some better clothes?" I ask, peering cautiously up at Slash.

Slash frowns and taps his chin with the index finger of his left hand. "I just might know someone who can help you. I assume you have no money?"

I nod.

Slash unbuckles the claws from around his wrist and pulls the glove off. He then reaches behind himself and attaches it to a loop on his hip, where I see another glove, for the other hand.

"This way," Slash says, gesturing away from Riku and Alex. "They should be at the usual spot."

Slash briskly walks towards one of the gaps in the buildings. I glance at Riku and Alex.

At this point Alex was literally smoking, and Riku had strange shadows swirling around his feet and dark sparks coming off of him. I turn away and jog after Slash, hoping with all my might that I was making the right decision.

I glance over my shoulder one last time and pause. I open my mouth to speak, but no words escape. I swallow nervously and run after Slash, hoping that Riku and Alex wouldn't kill each other. My view of them disappears as I run between the buildings, trusting the man who had just tried to kill me, and who was clearly best friends with the man who was very likely about to try to kill Riku.

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><p>What did you think? Reviews, comments, or questions are always welcome. And feel free to PM me if you have a request or for any other reason. Thanks for reading!<p> 


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